Douglass Day 2026

You are invited to a birthday party for Frederick Douglass! Although Douglass was born into bondage, and never knew his birthdate, he chose to celebrate every year on February 14th.

Join us for a day of transcription, discussion, birthday cake, and celebration of Black History. Stephen Ward, Associate Director of the Residential College and Associate Professor of Afroamerican & African Studies, gives the keynote address at 2:00pm, followed by a reception with birthday desserts from local Black-owned bakeries. 

This year, help us transcribe documents from the Colored Conventions Project, which chronicles the decades-long history of nineteenth-century Black organizing for civil and human rights. In that spirit, we are theming the University of Michigan event around activism, protest, and political organizing.

Participants on site will be able to view the Autobiography of Frederick Douglass, an issue of the North Star, and political buttons from Special Collections. Turn up Turnout will be available to register voters throughout the event.